Wife of man charged in slaying plans renunciation, duress defenses

DOVER — One of two women charged with helping Aaron Desjardins in the killing of Amanda “Amy” Warf last March will be relying on the defenses of duress and renunciation to avoid criminal liability during her upcoming trial.

DOVER — One of two women charged with helping Aaron Desjardins in the killing of Amanda “Amy” Warf last March will be relying on the defenses of duress and renunciation to avoid criminal liability during her upcoming trial.

Sarah Desjardins, 35, of 5b Paxton Terrace in Nashua, was indicted on charges of accomplice to first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit hindering apprehension by a grand jury at Rockingham County Superior Court in October.

Last month, her retained attorney, Emily McLaughlin, submitted a notice of defenses to the court. The document provides few details about what evidence McLaughlin plans to use to support the defense claims.

The New Hampshire Supreme Court has not specifically held that duress exists as a defense in the state. Duress excuses criminal conduct and requires that the accused show the illegal actions had to be done in order to avoid a threat. Typically, the threat is of imminent death or serious bodily injury, McLaughlin wrote.

Renunciation is an affirmative defense under New Hampshire law. It is available for all conspiracy crimes. A person renounces a conspiracy if they notify the police of the conspiracy and its participants or when they engage in conduct designed to prevent the commission of the agreed upon crime, McLaughlin wrote.

Sarah told police about the murder plot her husband, Aaron, 37, of 67 Railroad Ave., Epping, had concocted as soon as she was separated from him and his sister, Michele Corson, 44, of 373 Water St. in Skowhegan, Maine. Her admissions are what led to Aaron's and Corson's arrests, McLaughlin wrote.

Prosecutors allege Aaron kidnapped Warf, his ex-wife, at gunpoint and drove her from Epping to Exeter before slashing her throat and trying to incinerate her body in an abandoned City Concrete Company plant. He has been charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and conspiracy to commit hindering apprehension.

Aaron plans to use the defense of insanity at his jury trial, which is scheduled for May 4, 2015.

Corson was indicted on the same charges as Sarah. She is scheduled to have a jury trial Nov. 3, 2014.